The Memoirs of a Gallifreyan
by Yunagirlamy
Summary: A series of one-shots following days in the life of the Doctor's daughter. Latest one-shot: Ashleigh is acting like a child but she has a very good reason for that...
1. A New Life

**Author's notes: Hello! *waves* This is the first of many Doctor Who one-shots. They'll focus on my original character whose name will be revealed in this one-shot. Saying it here would spoil things really. I hope you like my character – I've been working on her since 2007 and here is where I properly introduce her. I'm too scared to do an actual story. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, just my original character. **

**1. A New Life**

She couldn't face saying goodbye. She knew her father really had no choice in the matter, but herself? She just could not do it. For her it was impossible. Nonetheless she still felt guilty about it. Her hearts ripped into pieces as she thought about what they would be thinking. _Why wasn't she there? Did she hate us? Were we not good enough? _Oh, they were _so_ good enough – they were _better_ than good enough.

_Rose_ _– I hated you at first. I suppose I still hold a little distaste for you. But that's only because you broke my father's hearts. I'll never forgive you for that. I do miss you, though, and I'm glad at least one version of my father gets to live with you—one that doesn't have to watch you grow old and die whilst he stays young. _

_Martha – You brilliant, amazing person—you saved our lives. If it wasn't for you I would be dead right now. I wouldn't have even received the chance to regenerate. I'm sorry my father kept comparing you to Rose. Really, I should have told him off for that. Thank you, Martha. We owe everything to you. _

_Donna… Donna – You're the most important woman in creation. What can I say about you that hasn't already been said? … I'm sorry, Donna. I am so, so sorry. _

She wiped her tears away and brushed her brown locks away from her wet face. Enough tears had been shed – _for now_. No doubt they'd be swiftly returning once she saw her father's regeneration. She couldn't help it, though; it was never a nice affair to watch your father die. She remembered the first time she saw him regenerate. He made it sound so casual to Rose, whilst she knew the truth. Rose was confused and she just cried and mentally begged him not to die. But he made no fuss about it, no drama whatsoever. It was simple.

It was strange but she wished she could have seen her father regenerate from his eighth self to his warrior self and then into his ninth self (though technically speaking his ninth self was really his tenth self) but she couldn't. She was unconscious when the Eighth Doctor died. He told her that he held her in his arms until he made his choice onto whom to regenerate into. Then she was taken away because he did not want his daughter to see the regeneration. She was only four-years-old at the time. A hundred years passed and the War Doctor dropped in on his daughter from time to time—she had been left in the care of some trustworthy people. Then one day a man with little hair and a leather jacket turned up, claiming the Time War was now over and he had come to collect his daughter. That was the happiest day of her life. She was one-hundred-and-ten-years old but had the appearance of a ten-year-old Earth child. Though, really, she still _was_ in her childhood.

But all that was in the past. She was now a teenager, one-hundred-and-fifteen-years-old—and right now her father was dying.

She stood up from her bed and straightened her red tartan skirt. She breathed a sigh and stepped over to her mirror, examining herself. Her blue eyes were red and puffy and a few stray tears ran down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away and adjusted the red tartan Alice band sat in her brown hair. She checked her white jumped looked okay and once she was satisfied with it she moved over to her door and wrapped her fingers around the handle.

_What?! _

"Dad!" She shouted, definitely loud enough for him to hear, "You let me out right now! You hear me!? P-Please, I need to be there for you!"

_He had locked her in_.

"_DAD_!" She banged her fist viciously on her oak door. "I can't stay in here! Not whilst you're dying! D-Dad…" Her voice trembled with tears along with her body and eventually she let go of the handle and slowly collapsed to her knees, arms wrapped around her stomach as she sobbed.

How could he do this to her? She knew it was him. The TARDIS would _never_ have done this to her. He was dying and he chose to die _alone_. It wasn't fair. She _had_ to be there. He was making her be a horrible daughter. She would never forgive him for this.

* * *

><p>She wasn't sure how long she was asleep or <em>why<em> she had fallen asleep. The last thing she remembered was sobbing as she sat by her door. Now she was in her bed—and her headband had been removed from her head, most likely so it wouldn't cause her discomfort in her sleep. The girl removed her quilt and swung her legs around onto her carpeted floor.

Something was different about the TARDIS, she could feel it. Her room hadn't changed one bit but the teenager knew that when she stepped outside her room the hallway would be _completely _different. But she would waste no time in finding out.

The Gallifreyan rushed over to her door and opened it—she was greeted with, just as she thought, a completely new hallway. She shut her door behind as her eyes scanned the now white hallway. She didn't like it. It was too blank. The TARDIS used to have detailed walls but now? Just… _nothing_.

"What's the nasty man done to you, old girl, hm?" She muttered, rubbing her hand affectionately, "You've been destroyed, haven't you? And you kept me safe, like in a bubble." She was smart and could figure things out just like her father. "Thank you, TARDIS. Now I have to go and give my dad a big slap."

She walked down the white corridor, quite liking the feel of the cold floor against her tight covered feet. Well, at least it was _one_ thing she liked about the TARDIS.

_"There's something I haven't told you about yet, something… quite important."_

Was that her father's voice she could hear? No, it couldn't have been. It sounded too young to be his. But her father was definitely on the ship, she could sense him.

_"Okay, Doctor… what's this important thing you've forgotten to tell me about?"_

So it _was_ his voice—and apparently he had already found a new companion. Her blue eyes clouded with tears; he'd already gone and had his first adventure, without her. She was going to absolutely _kill_ him.

_"I didn't forget, not really, it's just… well, I didn't really find the right time to tell you until now." _

She was nearly at the console room – soon she would lay her eyes upon her father's now Eleventh self and his apparent new companion. Whoever she was the woman was young and _definitely_ Scottish. No mistaking that.

Now one more step and she would in full view of the Doctor and this new woman. Cautiously… she took that step.

And her breathe escaped her. The console room was different—it was bigger and brighter. She liked it, it was lovely. Better than the stupid, blank corridors.

"Ah, Ashleigh, you're awake!"

Ashleigh's eyes shot over to… _that_ was her father? That young man in the Harris Tweed jacket and the ridiculous bow-tie? And just what was up with his _hair_ and his _nose_ and his _chin_? Ashleigh was silent as she examined him more, ignoring the stupid grin on his face.

"We were just talking about you," the Doctor remarked, moving closer to her.

Oh, so she was the _thing_? That was flattering.

"Doctor, who is she? You never mentioned anyone called Ashleigh to _me_," the Scottish—and ginger—woman commented, her eyes focused on Ashleigh.

The Doctor turned to face the woman and put an arm around Ashleigh's shoulders. Ashleigh narrowed her eyes at the Doctor's hand on her shoulder like it was a Dalek.

"Amy, this is my daughter—Ashleigh."

"Excuse me? Your _daughter_?"

Yes, that was the reaction most of the time. Now, Ashleigh feared, it would be the reaction _all_ the time.

"Yes, Amy, my daughter," the Doctor repeated with pride in his tone.

"No I'm not." Ashleigh spoke in a quiet tone as her hearts were still trying to believe that this man, this tall, skinny and very young man, was her father. "I'm not your daughter because you're _not_ my dad. I-I know he regenerated but he _can't_ be you!" Her brain was screaming at her that this _was_ her father. She could sense it. Her hearts would not let her believe it, however.

"Ashleigh," the Doctor began, turning back to face her, "I know I've changed a lot, and I look a lot younger than before, but I'm still your father." He put her hands on the sides of her face and Ashleigh could feel the warmth that had always been there. "It doesn't matter what I look like; you can always call me your father, regardless of what _any_one says. You understand me?"

Ashleigh closed her eyes and tears leaked out of them. "But _how_ can I call you dad _now_? We only look about ten years apart, maybe not even _that_."

"I know, and I'm sorry," the Doctor remarked sincerely, "but this is how I look now. I know it'll be hard for you to pretend I'm not your dad and I wish I could change that." He sighed and planted a kiss on her forehead. "I'm sorry."

Ashleigh suddenly burst into sobs and launched herself at her father, all her emotions spilling out. She wrapped her arms around him tightly as she cried into his shoulder. The Doctor embraced her and rubbed her back.

Amy awkwardly stood in the background—all she wanted to do was give the upset child a hug, even if she didn't know her. At least, not properly.

"Come on, Ash," the Doctor said, taking her hand, "let's move down the stairs so we've got more room." Ashleigh simply nodded and let her father lead her down the stairs. "Are you okay now?" he asked, brushing a hand through her hair.

"I'll be fine, Dad," Ashleigh responded—she smiled as the word did not seem as strange as she thought it would. "You, however…" A scowl promptly appeared on her face and before the Doctor had a chance to protest Ashleigh slapped him around his face.

"_Ow_!" The Doctor cried, rubbing his cheek, "What was _that_ for?"

"_You_ locked me in my room!" Ashleigh exclaimed, "Whilst you were regenerating! I wanted to be there so you weren't alone!"

"… I know, Ashleigh, I'm sorry, but I don't like you watching me regenerate," the Doctor explained. "You know that, don't you?"

"Regenerate?" Amy repeated, "What's a regenerate?"

"So you're the new companion," Ashleigh sighed, choosing to ignore the question, "Ginger, _again_."

"Yeah, she had the nerve to be," the Doctor muttered.

"I had the nerve?" Amy asked, raising an eyebrow, "Well _you_ had the nerve to leave me waiting for twelve years _and_ forget to mention you had a daughter!"

Ashleigh found herself grinning at the tone this new companion had – she was fierce and tough, Ashleigh could tell. She was someone who didn't take any rubbish from anyone, just like… Donna.

"I said I was sorry!" the Doctor cried, sounding like a scolded child. "What else do you want me to do?"

"Dad, did you put me in bed?" Ashleigh suddenly asked and the Doctor looked pleased with the change of subject.

"Yes, Ashleigh, I did," he responded, "The TARDIS was in a bit of a mess so I asked her to put you to sleep." He grimaced at that point, "Sorry, you were asleep on the floor for an hour."

Ashleigh waved her hand in dismissal. "It's fine, I didn't know, did I?"

"Well, I suppose not," the Doctor said, "Anyway, I came back after meeting Miss Pond here, decided to check up on you, found you on the floor so I picked you up and tucked you in bed. Just like when you were little."

A blush came to Ashleigh's cheeks, "Okay, now I know you're my dad because you're still an embarrassing idiot."

"He's an embarrassing idiot just with the way he's dressed," Amy commented, moving to stand by the younger - at least younger in appearance - girl.

"Oi!" the Doctor exclaimed in offence, "What's wrong with the way I'm dressed?"

"That bloody bow-tie," Ashleigh replied, "What _is_ that?"

"Bow-ties, young lady, are cool," the Doctor told her, "And don't swear."

Ashleigh rolled her eyes and shook her head. "It is _far_ from cool. I liked your plimsolls. _They_ were cool."

"I'm not even going to ask," Amy decided.

"Good decision," Ashleigh said, "Just let him be as weird as he likes. Less complaints then."

"So, all of space and time," the Doctor began, a smile playing on his lips, "Where do you want to start?"

**A/N: And there we are! What do you think? I'd love a review please, but I'm not going to beg for one. Hope you enjoyed the one-shot as much as I enjoyed writing it! Oh, and if you like Pokémon – and I will love you if you do – please check out my Pokémon one-shot series, ****_"It's Not Always Black and White_****". **

**Yunagirlamy, 31.1.14.**


	2. Revisiting the Past

**Author's note: This one is ****_slightly_**** longer than the last one and has some similar tones but, as you'll see, it was called. Now, which Doctor do people want to see Ashleigh interact with next? The choice is between Ninth, Tenth and the Twelfth Doctor. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, just my original character.**

**2. Revisiting the Past.**

"Maybe if you let me fly the TARDIS with you this wouldn't happen!" She held on tightly to the railings, heels dug firmly into the ground.

"Ohh and we all know what happened the last time I let you fly the TARDIS, don't we!?"

"That was not my fault; you kept messing about with it!"

"Because you were flying my TARDIS!"

"Stop arguing and just land the damn thing!"

The Doctor picked up a hammer—from seemingly nowhere—and bashed the console with it, causing sparks to fly about. The two females on-board gave a scream as the TARDIS violently tipped to the side and they both fell down to the floor. A few seconds later the Doctor got the TARDIS stabilised and landed it on wherever they had ended up.

"Ha!" The Doctor exclaimed as he flicked a lever, "Got there in the end, old girl, didn't we?" He leant forward and gave the centre of the console an affectionate rub.

"Urgh, please stop flirting with her," the youngest - or she looked - girl groaned as she picked herself up, rubbing her head.

"I was not flirting," the Doctor commented defensively, bending down to help the girl up - then he received a sharp slap to his cheek. "OW!" the Doctor cried, giving her a hard look, "What was that one for?!"

"Because you're the world's biggest idiot!" the girl huffed, standing up, "And that rather hurt my hand so we better be somewhere good. Clara, need any help?"

"No, I'm good," Clara replied as she also stood up. "You're okay, Ashleigh, yeah?"

"My hearts are still beating so I guess I am," Ashleigh joked, "So, Dad, any idea where we are?"

"Not a clue!" The Doctor responded as he clapped and rubbed his hands together, grinning. "Exciting, isn't it?"

Ashleigh grinned and raced to the doors, out of them in a second. The Doctor rolled his eyes and linked his arm with Clara's.

"Children are so reckless, running out the doors without knowing what's out there."

"What, you mean like you?" Clara asked with amusement.

"I had to get it from somewhere."

"Shouldn't we go make sure she hasn't gotten into trouble?" Clara grinned.

"Good idea, Ashleigh's very talented at that."

"She—"

"Gets it from me, yes, Clara," the Doctor interrupted as he dragged his impossible girl out of the TARDIS doors.

"Dad, Clara, look!" Ashleigh exclaimed grinning, looking rather like her father—the Eighth version of her father that was. "This place is so cool!"

"Like my bow-tie, then?" The Doctor wouldn't rest until he finally got his daughter to admit that his bow-ties were, and always would be, cool.

Ashleigh gave a chuckle and walked past her father, patting him on the shoulder. "You wish, Dad."

The Doctor gave a little pout. "One day you will find them cool," he remarked, "and on that day I shall be very smug."

Ashleigh scoffed and Clara snorted. "You're smug all the time," his daughter said, "I'd love to see the day that you aren't."

"That'll be the same day I stop being right," the Doctor said, walking past his daughter. "Come on, we might find something interesting here. If not, we can go back in the TARDIS and watch Ashleigh's baby videos."

"_Dad_!" Ashleigh exclaimed, hiding her scarlet face in her hands. "You said you'd never ever show those to your companions."

"Aww, you took videos of Ashleigh when she was a baby?" Clara asked. "That's so adorable."

The Doctor nodded, "And when she was a toddler, though I suppose that still counts as a baby. I have one where she was in the bath and she kept splashing me because when she was that age she was a little so and so. Then at one point she took my sonic screwdriver and dumped it in the water. Luckily my sonic is resistant to water so I just let her play with it. It made her happy. Didn't it, Ash?"

The Doctor received no answer; his daughter had slipped off somewhere, taking the opportunity during her father's rambling to wander off somewhere. "That little... thing," the Doctor said, pulling a face. "Nearly an adult and she _still _wanders off! Do I just have a face that screams to my daughter 'don't listen to me'?"

Clara chuckled. "Kids will be kids. Besides, she was probably getting embarrassed."

"Why would she be getting embarrassed?" the Doctor enquired as he took his sonic screwdriver out. "I was just talking about her bath time."

"Yeah, all kids love that(!)"

The Doctor frowned. "What are you talking about? No they don't." Clara only groaned, rolling her eyes. The Doctor activated his sonic, pointing it down the white corridor. The room they were in was dark, dreary - like it wanted to be hidden. But, it didn't look disused. People definitely still used this room. It worried the Doctor a little bit but now he was more concerned with finding his missing daughter. The sonic was giving him some weird results. "What? Stop being silly, you silly sonic." He tapped it a few times, clicking his tongue in annoyance.

"What's it saying?"

"Well, it's saying that Ashleigh's age has..." The Doctor paused, not sure how to say the next part. "Erm, decreased."

"And how is _that_ possible? She's only been gone a minute."

"That's what I'm worried about." The worried father put his sonic screwdriver away and grabbed Clara's hand. "Let's go and find her." Clara nodded in agreement and the two of them took off down the corridor. They passed many people, all of them adults.

"Ashleigh!" the Doctor called out, green eyes scanning everywhere. Sometimes people knew right away he and his daughter were Gallifreyans, mostly due to the TARDIS. And, unfortunately, most of the time people wanted to hurt them for simply being Gallifreyan or because of the Doctor. Many enemies tried to hurt his daughter to hurt him. That was why the Doctor sometimes wished he had left his daughter in the care of other people - but if he went around looking for companions, people he loved just as much as his own daughter, then why couldn't he just bring his daughter? He _did_ vow to protect her after all—and what better way was there than keeping her by him at all times? "Ashleigh, please answer me!"

_'Ashleigh?' _The Doctor was now using his and Ashleigh's physic link to call out to her. Gallifreyan parents and children whom had a strong bond with each other could communicate using their minds. Ashleigh and her father had been able to do it shortly after the Doctor regenerated into his tenth self.

"Ashleigh!" Clara called out, "We're getting worried now!"

"E-Excuse me?" a timid voice from behind them asked. The Doctor and Clara whirled around, throwing a curious expression at the strange voice. "Is this Ashleigh a young adult? Blue eyes, brown hair? Wearing a dress with a flower pattern on and a white headband in her hair?" The person cried out in surprise as the Doctor suddenly hugged her with great force.

"Ooh, I _love_ you right now!" The Doctor exclaimed, a big grin on his face. "Where did she go?"

"I'm afraid she was taken. She wasn't... old enough to stay at her current age."

"Hang on - what?" Clara was absolutely puzzled now. "What does that mean?"

The woman was about to answer when _another _voice began talking, again from behind them. "Doctor, I believe this is _your_ child."

The Doctor turned on his heel immediately - and all breath escaped him. Ashleigh was there; but she was... _younger_.

"A-Ashleigh?" Ashleigh just looked at him like he was a stranger. The Doctor felt his hearts break at her expression. "Ashleigh, do you recognise me?" The young girl shook her head.

"I want my dad," Ashleigh said, "Where's my dad?"

The Doctor scowled and turned his eyes on the person holding Ashleigh's hand, fury in his green eyes. "What have you done to my daughter?"

"We have certain rules here, Doctor," the woman said, venom dripping from her voice, "If you come here past the age of twenty-one then you're allowed to stay as you are. However, if you are under that age then we change you back into a child. We also take away all memories. It's to ease the pain."

"What kind of stupid rule is that?" Clara scoffed.

"It's to control the population," the woman replied, "We have far too many people living here. But we couldn't _kill _them. So, we went for the next best thing. We have a limit to how many adults can live here. They, in turn, are only allowed _one_ child. But we do not let that child age beyond twenty one. Any one below that age that comes here is reverted to a child regardless of if they want to be or not."

"We _crashed_ here," the Doctor growled. It was taking much of his restraint not to punch the woman.

"Not my problem," the woman smirked. She let go of Ashleigh's hand and gently pushed her towards her father. "Here, dear, go to your father."

"But he's not my daddy!" Ashleigh cried. "He doesn't look anything like my daddy!"

The Doctor swiftly grabbed Ashleigh's hand. "Ashleigh, I know it's hard to believe for you right now but I _am_."

Ashleigh tried tugging her hand away, but the Doctor was much stronger. "You're not, you're not! You dress far too smart to be my daddy!" The Doctor couldn't help but smile at that. Then he scooped Ashleigh up into his arms, despite her many protests. "DADDY!" she cried as the Doctor held her. "DADDY, HELP ME!"

"Change her back," Clara ordered the woman, "Change her back right now!"

"I can't," was the woman's smug reply, "Doing it twice is fatal. So unless you want her to die, she'll just have to grow up all over again."

"She wasn't even younger than twenty-one!" Clara exclaimed, "She's four-hundred and twenty years old!"

"That's not what our computers said," the woman remarked, "She looked twenty, therefore she _was_ twenty."

"Find _another _way to change her—"

"Clara," the Doctor cut in, "It's okay. I have something that will undo it."

"Then why did you get angry?"

"Because they dared to take _my_ daughter and change her," the Doctor answered. "That makes me _furious_."

"But I'm _not _your daughter!" the young Gallifreyan cried, thrashing about in her father's arms, "LET GO OF ME RIGHT NOW!" The Doctor simply ignored her and hurriedly walked back to the TARDIS, Clara close behind him. Ashleigh huffed and crossed her arms. "My daddy will come and get me. Then he'll be really angry that you stole me _and_ his TARDIS!" The Doctor unlocked the TARDIS and walked in. "And you stole his ke—this isn't my daddy's TARDIS!"

"Clara, shut the doors," the Doctor ordered as he put his young daughter on the floor. Ashleigh instantly backed away from him. That hurt the Doctor but what hurt more was the expression she bore.

Fear was the only emotion in her blue eyes, tears threatening to spill from them. Despite the true emotion her eyes gave away a scowl curled her lips and she had one arm raised in a defensive manner. "Why are you taking me?" Ashleigh demanded, "Take me to my daddy right—" She suddenly stopped, startled by something. She stared up at the ceiling, the fear in her eyes gone. When she looked back down to the Doctor her expression had softened. "Y... Your TARDIS sounds exactly like my daddy's TARDIS. She's saying welcome back to me. She's not scared. She says t-that..." Ashleigh then shook her head. "I don't believe it! You're not Dad!"

The Doctor gave a soft smile and gently grabbed his daughter's arms, pulling her close. "I am. Do you think your father would let you out of his sight?" Ashleigh directed her eyes to the floor at that. "You're safe here," the Doctor continued. "I promise." Then he placed his fingers on either side of her temple before swiftly catching her as she fell unconscious. The worried father sighed and placed a kiss on Ashleigh's forehead.

"So, what's this thing you have that?" Clara asked from the other side of the room.

"... Just some antidote," the Doctor replied but he was deep in thought about whether to use it or not. Sure, it wasn't his choice to make but Ashleigh wasn't aware she had been changed so it wouldn't make any difference.

The Doctor wasn't sure how he felt about Ashleigh having a second chance at childhood. Sometimes, when he was alone with his thoughts, he'd wish for Ashleigh to be a child again, so he could be her hero again. So he could make up for the one-hundred years she went without seeing her father. He hadn't meant to leave it one-hundred years but the TARDIS was just freshly rebuilt after his regeneration and what had meant to be him turning up after a couple of days turned into a hundred years. In the life of a Gallifreyan that was nothing, but it had enough of an impact on Ashleigh that she no longer looked up to her father like she had done. Sure, she loved him, the Doctor knew that, but now whenever something was wrong she'd try and solve it herself; she didn't rely on him to fix everything anymore and whilst that made the Doctor happy, it also pained him that he was no longer her hero.

He still remembered the look she gave him when he turned up to collect her, much like the look she had given him only a few minutes ago - like he was the biggest stranger in the universe. She had actually been a little hesitant to go with him, but in the end she was swayed by the TARDIS and the promise that she'd never be abandoned again.

"Doctor?"

The Doctor whipped his eyes towards Clara, his friend bringing him out of his mind. "You are going to use it?"

The Doctor nodded. "I'm just going to take her to the medical room and make sure she's okay."

"Just be careful, okay?"

The Doctor didn't know whether to be pleased or offended at that question.

Pleased because Ashleigh had yet another person caring for her, worried for her safety—no matter the person looking after her. Clara had grown to love Ashleigh, despite not knowing her very long. Similarly, unlike the TARDIS, Ashleigh loved Clara from the minute she met her. Ashleigh had admitted that the loss of Amy and Rory was still hitting her hard but Clara was just what they needed.

Offended because Clara knew that the Doctor would never let anything bad happen to his girl. He'd always protect her, no matter what. So to be told to be careful with her hurt him. Okay, it wasn't as if he would be eligible for any Father of the Year awards, but Ashleigh was happy. She was safe.

"Of course," the Doctor replied, smiling a little. Clara gave a small smile back as the father carried his daughter off.

* * *

><p>The Doctor looked up from his book as he heard Ashleigh groaning. Then he shot up from the chair and rushed over to her side. "No, no, not so quick," he remarked, putting a hand on her back. "You've been asleep for four hours."<p>

The tests the Doctor had run revealed to him that Ashleigh had been reverted into an eight-year-old and that she was still healthy. He would have injected the antidote into her but he preferred her to be awake for it. So, the Doctor decided to put Ashleigh to bed.

Said girl narrowed her blue eyes at her father. "What the hell did you do to me? Only Daddy is allowed to put me to sleep."

The Doctor hated having to repeat himself. "Ashleigh, I _am _your father. If you won't believe me then at least believe the TARDIS. She'd never lie to you."

Ashleigh moved away from him. "No. You could have reprogrammed her to say that!" Her eyes filled with tears and she quickly moved her hand up to wipe them. "Y-You can't keep me here!"

"Yet, you're not running."

"H-Huh?"

The Doctor nodded towards the door. "That door is open, yet you're not making any attempt to run."

"What would be the point?" Ashleigh scoffed. "The TARDIS is huge. Even if I got away from you I'd just get lost and be stuck on this ship with you forever." The girl drew her knees up to her chest. "... How long have I been asleep?"

"Four hours," the Doctor responded, reaching a hand out to stroke Ashleigh's hair but the girl moved. The father sighed. "You looked quite peaceful, actually. You even smiled a few times."

Ashleigh looked disgusted. "You've been watching me, like some pervert?"

Now it was the Doctor's turn to scowl. "Don't you _ever _call me that again, Ashleigh. Understand?"

Ashleigh smirked at this point. "Why? Pervert."

The Doctor knew she was trying to make him mad so he'd dump her on some planet. It was on Ashleigh's many tactics to get an enemy that was holding them prisoner to let them go; get the enemy so annoyed or angry that they decided it wasn't worth the effort anymore. As expected this worked zero per cent of the time. Ashleigh was insistent that it'd work one day.

"All right, if that's how you want to behave," the Doctor began, walking over to the door, "You can stay in this room until I say otherwise," and with that he left, shutting the door behind him. The Doctor sighed and ran a hand through his hair; it had a good while since he had to confine his daughter to her room and it was a little jarring to do so right now. It felt wrong in this incarnation to do it, but it couldn't be helped. For now he would give her some space, give her a chance to take things in.

Or he could just send Clara to talk to her.

* * *

><p>Ashleigh moved on her tip-toes over to the door and opened it ever so slightly; she watched as the man calling himself the Doctor moved down the corridor and out of view. The little girl grinned, swiftly ran out of the room and down the opposite way of the corridor.<p>

Despite what the ship was saying to her it just wasn't possible that this _was _her father's TARDIS - it looked completely different for one. Sure, the outside looked the same but that was easy to replicate.

_Why do you struggle with the truth, little one? I am the same TARDIS you have always travelled in. The man who stole me is your father._

Ashleigh ignored the TARDIS as she kept running. She wasn't looking for a way to escape but rather some proof that the imposter was not her father. She wouldn't rest until she could prove it.

_Very well. If that is your mission then I shall aid you in seeing the truth. _A door appeared. _Go through this one, Ashleigh, and you can view the truth for yourself._

Ashleigh did as she was told and entered through the door. On the other side was a white room, literally nothing in there. "What is this!?" Ashleigh demanded, looking around.

_Think of your father and his current incarnation will appear to you. Your own mind cannot lie to you._

Ashleigh, slightly irritated, closed her eyes and thought of her father - of his brown hair, his light blue eyes that were identical to her own and the Victorian manner in which he dressed.

_Open your eyes, Ashleigh. It worked._

Ashleigh opened her eyes - and saw the man who had kidnapped her. Ashleigh's eyes widened and she took steps back. "No!" She yelled, "My daddy didn't just regenerate!"

_Then what were you doing before this happened?_

"What?"

_Answer the question, Ashleigh._

"That's easy, we were... w-were..." Her memory was empty. _She had no idea. _The sudden realisation hit Ashleigh and she collapsed to the ground, back up against the wall and knees shoved against her chest as she just _sobbed. _What had happened to her and why couldn't she remember it? Why had her daddy changed?

_'Ashleigh? Can you hear me?'_

Ashleigh gasped and her hands shot to her ears. How did his voice get inside his head?

_'Ashleigh, darling, if you can hear me then come to the console room.'_

The little girl broke down crying again. "SHUT UP!" She screamed, "Get out of my head!" The child was extremely scared and didn't know what to do or why any of this was happening.

_'Ashleigh, I know you're scared. But you need to come to the console room. I can help you.'_

Ashleigh pressed her hands tighter over her ears. "J-Just leave me alone."

Then, silence. Had that worked? Did he listen to her request? Could he even _hear_ her request? It didn't matter now, though, since his voice had stopped.

"Ashleigh?"

Ashleigh gasped and nearly jumped at the sudden voice at the door. "Who are _you_?" She moved back, not being familiar with the female walking towards her. "Are you my daddy's companion?" the girl asked, not giving the woman a chance to answer, "He broke his promise! He said he'd never get another companion! He _promised_ me!"

The Doctor's companion knelt down by Ashleigh. "I'm the Doctor's friend. Not his companion." She gave a warm smile and held her hand out. "I'm Clara Oswald. Nice to meet you, Ashleigh."

Ashleigh was still unsure about this Clara woman, but, hesitantly, she took her hands away from her ears and put one hand in Clara's offered one. "That man... he's really the Doctor, isn't he?"

"That's right," Clara answered, "He's worried about you, Ashleigh. But he knew you wouldn't want him so he sent me instead." Clara sat down by the girl. "Your hair is very pretty, you know."

Ashleigh blinked in surprise. "My hair?"

Clara nodded and tugged on something in Ashleigh's hair. "The Doctor put this ribbon in for you."

"When?" Ashleigh asked.

Clara smiled again, but Ashleigh could tell it wasn't a happy smile. "Do you want to go and see him? He's not angry at you."

Ashleigh bit her lip. "I called him something bad, though. Like, _really_ bad." Yes, the girl felt guilty for that. She knew the Doctor was just trying to help her but she just went ahead and called him something that was uncalled for. At the time, though, she only wanted to be alone.

"Yeah, but you're what your dad loves most in the whole universe so he forgave you instantly," Clara said.

"He told you that?"

"No," Clara smiled, "I just know him and how much he loves you." Then Clara held her hand out again. "Come on, we'll go together if you're nervous."

"Why do I trust you?" Ashleigh was aware how rude the question was but it left her mouth before she could stop it. But, to her surprise Clara just smiled again.

"Because we're the best of friends and deep in your mind you can remember that."

Clara's smile was infectious.

* * *

><p>The Doctor was calm as he landed the TARDIS, somewhere in England. Just from looking at him you wouldn't be able to tell that he was the most nervous he'd ever been. His daughter didn't know who he was. She was scared of him and wanted to get away from him.<p>

The Doctor had tried talking to Ashleigh through her mind but he had no response from her. He could feel her emotions spiking, he could feel her getting afraid. All he wanted to do then was envelope her in his arms, holding her close to him. However, the Doctor knew she'd just reject him. She'd only end up being more scared. So he sent Clara off. Maybe someone of the same gender would be less scary to the young girl. He was jealous that Clara was the one who could calm his daughter but it couldn't be helped.

"Look who I brought with me, Doctor," came Clara's voice from the stairs. The Doctor directed his green eyes over and flashed a genuine smile. He walked over and knelt down on one knee to his daughter.

He recognised the look in her eyes now; he had seen it many times when she had done something wrong. That was the look she gave the Doctor when she was afraid of being scolded. Instead of doing that, however, the Doctor pulled the girl into a fatherly hug. Thankfully the girl did not push him away.

"How did you get in my head?" She whimpered.

The Doctor pulled back and put his hands on her shoulders. "You heard me?" Ashleigh timidly nodded. "That was because of the parent and child bond we have. Our bond is so strong that we can communicate with our minds."

Ashleigh's eyes travelled to the floor. "I'm sorry. About what I said."

"That's okay, Ashleigh." The Doctor gave her forehead a gentle kiss.

"Why did you change? I don't remember you regenerating. I don't remember anything!"

The father frowned and picked the girl up into his arms. He moved over to the seat by the console and sat down, putting Ashleigh on his lap. (It had been a long time since _that_ happened.)

"Ashleigh, this is my..." The Doctor swallowed the lump in his throat; how could he tell his little daughter that it had been a while since he had been the incarnation she knew? "This is my eleventh form."

As expected there was naught but pure surprise in Ashleigh's eyes. "What? How can that be? You were only on your eighth form! How did you skip that much?!"

"This isn't the age you're meant to be," the Doctor explained, "You're supposed to be four-hundred-and-twenty-years-old. Not eight."

Normally when being told that a person would have shook their head and claimed the other person was a liar. Being Gallifreyan, and the Doctor's daughter however, meant otherwise.

"... What happened?" Ashleigh's voice was quiet.

"You ran out the TARDIS and someone took you," the Doctor replied, "and they changed your age."

"... Can I be changed back?"

The Doctor fished around in his pocket before producing a needle from it. "This will change you back after two hours. It's your choice, Ashleigh. If you want to stay the way you are then that's okay with me."

"Will it hurt? Changing back I mean."

"No. You'll fall unconscious." Ashleigh seemed scared by this so the Doctor put his arms around her and shifted her so she was leaning against his chest. "It'll be okay, Ashleigh. I'll be by your side. I promise I won't leave you."

Then Ashleigh did something that was the best thing the Doctor had seen her do all day—the girl smiled. She then put a hand on his chest and gripped his jacket tightly.

"You really promise?"

"I really promise."

Ashleigh turned her eyes on Clara. "Will you be there, too, Clara? Since we're best friends."

"Of course I will," Clara grinned. "I'll look you after you."

"Now," the Doctor began, "Ashleigh, can you be a good girl and take this injection without squirming?"

"Yeah!" Ashleigh exclaimed, confidence in her tone. Ashleigh had never been scared of needles but the Doctor always asked just to be sure. "I'm not scared!"

"Good girl." The Doctor set Ashleigh down on her feet and held her right arm out. "You ready?" Ashleigh just nodded. The Doctor thought it best to get it over with and quickly injected the antidote into Ashleigh's arm. The girl winced but did not make any cries of pain. "All done."

"That only hurt a tiny bit," Ashleigh grinned as she grabbed her father's arm, "It was like being bitten by a small insect!"

"It was very brave of you, Ashleigh," Clara remarked, her voice not patronising in the slightest. "Do you think we could convince your dad to let you have an ice-cream?"

Ashleigh gasped at the very idea of this and looked up at her father. "Can we, can we?"

The Doctor chuckled; he wished he was recording this so he could show Ashleigh once she was being to normal. She'd be so embarrassed to see what she was acting like right now—and the Doctor _loved_ it. He scooped the girl up and twirled around to the console.

"We can have ice-cream until we get sick!" The Doctor exclaimed, "I know this wonderful ice-cream parlour in London where you can have just about any flavour you want!" He flicked a lever. "I wonder if they have a fish fingers and custard flavour."

"Eww!" Ashleigh cried, sticking her tongue out, "Why would anyone want that?"

"Because," the Doctor started, tapping Ashleigh on her nose making her giggle, "fish fingers and custard are the second best thing in the universe."

"What's the first?" asked Ashleigh.

Abruptly the Doctor began to tickle Ashleigh. The child squealed with laughter and thrashed about in her father's arms.

"Obviously it's you," Clara answered for the Doctor. It warmed her to see Ashleigh and her father playing together considering how scared Ashleigh was earlier. The child was clever, however, and when facts were presented to her she was more than likely going to accept them.

"Okay, okay, stop!" Ashleigh giggled. "Daddy, stop it!"

Ashleigh would blush a deep red once she learnt she called her father that. The Doctor was going to sit her down and tell her _every_thing. No doubt it would embarrass her but she deserved to know.

The Doctor then put Ashleigh down and rubbed an affectionate hand through her hair. "You ready to go?"

Ashleigh nodded excitedly and grabbed her father's hand. "I want strawberry and chocolate and mint and everything else! Except vanilla – vanilla's a boring flavour."

The Doctor laughed, "Everything but vanilla it is then."

* * *

><p>"Ashleigh, hold still."<p>

This was one thing the Doctor didn't miss about Ashleigh's childhood - her inability to sit still when having her face cleaned. The young girl couldn't stop squirming despite the strong hold her father had on her arm.

As she consumed her ice-cream - one that was made up of many, many flavours - the child managed to get the ice-cream everywhere _but_ her mouth. Of course the Doctor had to take a picture because she looked absolutely adorable but now he had the unpleasant task of cleaning it all up.

Ashleigh stuck her tongue out. "No, I want to _play_!"

"Yes, and you can play in a minute," the Doctor said, exasperated. "Just behave, Ashleigh."

Ashleigh let out a massive groan and wriggled about some more. "Let my arm goooo."

"Only if you can promise you won't run off." Ashleigh just pouted. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

"You're so mean."

"Good."

Ashleigh narrowed her blue eyes at the Doctor. "That's not what you were supposed to say, you know."

"I know," the Doctor grinned before throwing the washcloth to one side, "There, all—" He barely had a chance to finish as Ashleigh shot off and left the room, "Done." He sighed and made after her. "Ashleigh, don't go running off!" he called out. As he entered the corridor there was no sight of his daughter. "Ashleigh? Ashleigh, where have you gone?"

Suddenly there was a child-like roar and Ashleigh leapt out from a room, grabbing her father's leg. "I got you, Daddy!"

Laughter emitted from the Doctor's lips as he bent down and hugged Ashleigh. "Yes, you got me good." For a split second he hugged Ashleigh tighter and tears pooled in his eyes. He would miss Ashleigh being like this when she reverted back to her actual age, but he definitely could not wait to have his adult daughter back - whom would be pleased to hear her father had finally acknowledged her as so.

"Are you okay, Daddy?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay." The Doctor kissed her forehead and stood up. "Shall we go and find Clara?"

Surprisingly, Ashleigh shook her head.

"Why not?"

"I know I've only got an hour left before I turn back," Ashleigh answered, "and I know you'll miss it so I think we should make the most of it."

The Doctor couldn't be happier. "And what would my beautiful daughter like to do?"

Ashleigh blushed. "Well, it's a bit boring, really..."

"Nonsense! Nothing you want to do is boring. Tell me."

Ashleigh's blush deepened. "W-Well, erm... I want us to watch films together." Ashleigh bit on her lip. "D-Disney films, specifically."

"Hey, what's boring about _that_?" The Doctor asked softly, "That's the best idea I've ever heard—and I've met the person who invented chocolate, you know."

"I bet you haven't," Ashleigh giggled.

The Doctor just winked. "We should start from 1989 and work our way through them. And you know what?"

"What?"

"I bet I can sing louder than you!" The Doctor cried and then ran off down the corridor.

"There's no way in hell!" Ashleigh followed straight after him, her little legs not as fast as her father's legs. "I can sing way, _way_ louder than you!"

"Ha! You'll have to prove it!"

The Doctor was _really_ loving this right now; he honestly couldn't remember the last time he'd spent some quality father-daughter time with Ashleigh like this. Sure, they bonded on their adventures but it had been a long time since they had just sat down and watched some films together - and if the Doctor was honest he really missed it. Ashleigh never approached him to ask about spending their time together like this, she probably thought her father would reject her and call her childish. This experience really opened the Doctor's eyes to the fact that he _needed_ to spend more time with his daughter in this way.

She had admitted more than once to her jealously of her father's companions. The Doctor could honestly understand that so he tried to balance the attention he gave his companions and the attention he gave his daughter. He still remembered how fiercely jealous Ashleigh had been when he invited Rose on board. Ashleigh would purposely push into Rose, leave frogs in her bed (the Doctor still had no idea just where Ashleigh was getting the frogs from), spill tea down her clothes—the girl was an absolute nightmare to Rose. The Doctor was well into his tenth incarnation when Ashleigh _finally_ began to warm up to Rose. Hell, Ashleigh even _cried_ when Rose was sucked into the parallel world.

"I beat you, Daddy!" he heard Ashleigh cry—the Doctor had been so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice his daughter had sped ahead. The father smiled and rubbed Ashleigh's head after he caught up to her.

"Well done, Ashleigh," he remarked. He opened the door and led Ashleigh inside. The child produced some giggles and ran over to the red settee, jumping onto it. "I think you have more energy than _me_."

"Uh-huh!" Ashleigh nodded, "That's because I'm young and you're dead old!"

The Doctor laughed wholeheartedly. "That's right, I am dead old." He came and sat down after setting the film up. Ashleigh immediately jumped onto his lap. The Doctor put his arms around his daughter and made her rest against his chest.

This moment, right now, was perfect and the Doctor would never forget it.

* * *

><p>An hour into the film Ashleigh passed out. The Doctor didn't know how long it would take Ashleigh to change back so he didn't hesitate in carrying her back to bed.<p>

"Clara!" the Doctor called down the corridor; the woman would kill the Doctor if she missed this, "Ashleigh is changing back now!" It didn't take long for Clara to appear.

"Is she okay?" the worried woman asked, trying to step into the room but the Doctor stopped her, "What are you doing?"

"It won't be pretty," the Doctor grimaced, "You don't want to see this."

Clara appeared to be curious about what would happen but she was silent about the matter. "So what have you two been doing?" Clara crossed her arms, smiling warmly. "Spending some daddy-daughter time?"

The Doctor turned red as a tomato at the term. "Yes, yes," he answered rapidly, "We watched a film and sang along." He wasn't paying all of his attention to Clara, however, as he kept peeking in Ashleigh's room to see if she had changed back yet.

"What film?"

"The—" the Doctor began but then raced into the room. Clara was right behind him.

Ashleigh was trying to sit up, one hand to her head as she groaned.

"No, no, don't try and sit up, darling," he gently reprimanded as he pushed her back down. He was extremely glad to see her back to her actual age. He got his sonic screwdriver and did a quick scan. "No lasting damage," he revealed nothing but relief written over his face. He sat down and stroked Ashleigh's fringe out of her eyes.

"What happened to me?" Ashleigh moaned. Clara went to answer but Ashleigh held a finger up. "No, wait, wait, I think I remember." Her expression changed to one of clear humiliation. "Oh, my good god." Her eyes widened. "I was a kid again, wasn't I?"

"Yes."

Ashleigh slowly pushed herself up. "Oh god, I called Dad a pervert. I am _so_ sorry, Dad."

"It's okay," the Doctor said, "You didn't know who I was." He was surprised Ashleigh could remember.

"And I practically begged you for ice-cream..." Ashleigh buried her face in her hands. "I can't believe I did that." She looked at her father through her fingers. "Please just forget that ever happened."

"Forget what ever happened?" the Doctor smirked.

"Ha, very funny... we sang together..." Ashleigh removed her hands from her face. "I... I've wanted to just sit down and watch films with you for ages."

"Why didn't you just ask?"

"Because you'd say no," Ashleigh replied, just a bit too quickly for the Doctor's liking, "You like rushing around. "You only said yes to me earlier because I was a little kid and you didn't want to upset me."

The Doctor wrapped his arms around Ashleigh—he realised he was hugging her a lot today but he didn't mind that, he loved hugging his daughter. "Never be afraid to ask me for some time together, just me and you."

"You really mean that, Dad?"

"I really mean it," the Doctor confirmed, "Just no more running out of the TARDIS."

Ashleigh laughed. "I can't promise that and you know it."

**A/N: Yes this took me ages to write. No I'm not sorry. I'm rather proud of this one. I know it's not exactly Moffat material but I'm damn pleased with it and I hope you, my loyal reader, are too. Also—woohoo, our current Doctor is still British! **

**Yunagirlamy, 19.9.14.**


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